Combined hair comb and cutter



DeC- 30, 1952 w. s. LEFEBRE 2,623,277

COMBINED HAIR coMB AND CUTTER Filed May 5, 1949 Patented Dec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED HAIR COMB AND CUTTER Walter S. Lefebre, Haverford, Pa.

Application May 5, 1949, Serial No. 91,621

My present invention comprises a combined hair comb and cutter.

It has been recognized that a combined hair comb and cutter which is capable of being used by all persons for their own use would serve a definite need. Such a combined comb and cutter could be used in dressing the hair, in cutting the hair, in trimming it, and in general in greatly reducing the frequency with which professional barbers or hair dressers need be visited.

While I am aware that others have already suggested various forms of combined hair combs and cutters, the devices of this character known to me are subject to certain disadvantages. In the first place, even the most successful devices are somewhat complicated in construction and consequently expensive. Other known devices are undesirable because they are actually dangerous to the user, particularly when removing or inserting a blade therein.

An object of my present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior devices known to me and to provide a device which is simple in construction, easy to use and clean, which has the cutting blade at an angle to the surface being cut, and which permits of the cutting unit to be slid along the comb so as to enable trimming of the hair at any relative position of the comb and cutter, even close to the ear, as well as easy cutting on both the fine and coarse teeth.

In accordance with my present invention wherein I provide a device which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and use, sturdy and durable in construction, reliable in operation and attractive in appearance, I attain the foregoing and other objects by utilizing ordinary stock combs having back and teeth portions, a cutting blade, and a special novel clip of my invention,

My novel clip comprises a lower portion which is liat, an upper portion having a leading edge, two projections extending forwardly from each end of the leading edge of said upper portion and which projections cover the ends of the cutting edge of the blade when the latter is in cutting position, a lug on the under side of the upper portion, the lug being of a size and configuration suitable to permit it to engage with the opening or openings in the blade when the blade is placed against the lug and the clip carrying the blade is placed around the comb in cutting relation. Joining the upper and lower portions of my novel clip is an arcuate portion adapted to fit snugly around the back of the comb and to press upon the teeth on both sides near the combs back,

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-30) With the foregoing in mind, my present invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and which will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout and which form a part hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of my novel hair comb and cutter;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 except that it is a rear view of the device shown in Fig. 1;:

Fig. 3 is a front plan View of the novel hair comb and cutter of Fig. 1, the teeth being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 2

Fig. '7 is a iront side elevation of my novel clip, With its upper portion nearest the viewer;

Fig. 8 is a front open end view of the clip shown in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 and shows a single edge blade in place on my novel clip;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a single edge blade which may be used in accordance with my present invention;

Fig. 11 is similar to Fig. 9 but shows also the lower portion on my novel clip nearest the viewer;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a double edge blade which may be utilized in accordance with my present invention;

Fig. 13 is a cross-section taken along the line |3-I3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is similar to Fig. 6 but shows an embodiment of my novel clip wherein the lug is stamped from the upper portion of the clip;

Fig. 15 is similar to Fig. 5 but shows a modication of my novel clip wherein the upper portion edge I of the upper portion 'I is at a greater distance from the tips of the teeth than is the cutting edge I2 of the blade Il utilized in accordance with my invention. The upper portion 'I also has projections I3 extending forward- 1y from each end of the leading edges of the upper portion 'I of my clip. These projections I3 cover the ends of the cutting edge I2 of the blade II when the blade is in cutting relation on the comb I. The under side of the upper portion has a lug Ill secured thereto. This lug I4 is of a size and configuration to render it suitable for engagement with the opening I5 `of the blade II. If desired, the lug Ii may be stamped from the upper portion oi the clip 5 and in effect be a stamped out part l thereof.

If desired, instead ci my novel clip 5 being a unitary structure it may comprise more than one integrated piece. For example, in Fig. 15, a modified clip is shown ywherein the upper portion 'i is attached to the arcuate portion 9 by hinges ,Il and is. provided with spring means i3 to hold the upper portion against the teeth in normal position.

The operation of my novel device is simple. A blade -I I, either a single er a double edge blade having at least one opening iii therein, is placed against the under side of the upper portion l of my novel clip 6 so as to permfltthe lug lll of my clip 5 to engage the opening' iii or the .blade Ii, the blade of course being pla-ced on my clip 5 in such a way that the cutting edge l2 or the blade is close to the leading edge Iii of the upper portion l of my clip 5. iviy novel clip l, together with the blade iI associated therewith, may then be placed Yaround a regular comb I, for example, by sliding the clip 5 over the comb I so that ,the arcuate'portion 9 passes around the back 2 of the comb preferably beginning with the fine teeth end of the comb.

As may be seen from l the clip 5 may be placed in any position along the length of the comb I. Ii the clip 5 is in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. l, in other werds in approximately the center of the comb, part of the blade II or razor will be over the fine teeth B and part of the razor over the coarse teeth A. If the clip 5 is in the-position generally indicated by Y in Fig. 1 it will be over the line teeth C. Similarly, if the clip 'd is in position Z it will be over the coarse teeth D. In any of these or other positions the clip d firmly holds the blade il in place against the comb I by reason of the snug fit-or the clip around the comb, the engagement of Itho-blade -Il with the lug it on the'under side of the upper portion of the clip o andthe two projections i3 which extend forwardly and preferably downwardly against the `blade H. While, however, the clip rmly holds the blade II in place for cutting and combing purposes, a special advantage of my novel clip is theeasy altering of its position on the comb to any desired place. It'is not necessary to turn any dial or unscrew any screws in order to attain a change of position, which is the casein some of the prior art structures. -All that need be done is to push the clip to the desired position.

Another advantage of my novel clip and comb combination is the fact that the cutting edge I2 of the blade II is always at an angle to the tips of the teeth, as the lengths of the neteeth and coarse teeth are not the same, making for a non-circular back portion, and as is well known this is an aid in the cutting of hair. Still another advantage of my novel comb and clip combination is that, i desired, my device may be employed to ltrim hair close to and around the ear. If this is desired, one or both of the end teeth I9 of the comb may be thinner than is normally the case with regular stock combs as shown in Fig. 16. A further advantage of my combined comb and cutter is the ease with which any hair which may clog the teeth can be removed from'the device. This is in contra-distinction to other devices with which I am familiar. In such devices `it is cumbersome and in some cases dangerous to remove the hair which clogs the teeth.

Furthermore, while my invention has been described in -detail as to construction and arrangement ofparts it is understood that some modifications may be made herein without departing yfrom the spirit of my invention. In View of `the foregoing no limitations are intended other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claim construed as broadly as Apermissible in viewof the prior'art.

I claim:

Aclip adapted t0 hold a blade having at least one opening therein. in 'cutting relation on a comb having a backportion and teeth in front thereof, saidclip having a lower portion, an upper portion having Aa leading Vedge which is at a greater distance from the yfront of the teeth than is the cutting edge of the'blade, projections extending forwardly from each end of the leading edge of saidupper portion and covering theends of `the cutting edge `of the blade, an elongated lug on the under side of said upper portion, said lug being of a sizesuitable to enable the lug to engage said yblade when the latter is placed against the under side of the upper portion, and an arcuate portion joining the Asides of said upper and lower portions.

WALTER S.

REFERENCES CTEED The following references areofrecordin the file of this patent:

UN TED STATES vPATENTS Number Name Date 1,399,103 Butler Dec. 56,1921 1,297,413 Stephenson Mar. .13, .1919 1,454,715 VFontaine May 8,-11923 1,536,662 CowanV May-8,.1925 2,180,834 Marcel .Nov.. '21, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTSY f Numb-er Country Date 156,912 CreatZBritain Jan. f1.7, 1921 

